Stanisław "Szlomo" Szmajzner (13 March 1927 in Puławy, Poland – 3 March 1989 in Goiânia, Brazil[1]) was one of 58 known survivors of the Sobibór extermination camp in German-occupied Poland and participated in the 1943 camp-wide revolt and escape from Sobibór.
Stanislaw Szmajzner as partisan, shortly after his escape from Sobibor
Szmajzner arrived at Sobibór extermination camp on 12 May 1942 in a transport of about 2,000 Jews from the Eastern Poland Ghetto of Opole Lubelskie, together with his parents, a sister, brother, cousin, and nephew.[2][3]
Occupationsedit
On arrival, he was not murdered in the gas chambers because he proved to be a goldsmith, having carried along his bag of tools.[2][4] He also managed to protect his brother, cousin, and nephew, insisting he needed their assistance.[3] Given a makeshift goldsmith workshop, he was tasked by camp deputy commander Gustav Wagner to create golden accessories for the members of the SS at Sobibór using stolen coins, jewelry, or dental gold of murder victims. Orders included rings displaying SS runes and an ornamental knob for the whip used by Kurt Bolender in beating the prisoners.[2][3] Under Franz Stangl's command of the camp, Szmajzner was made foreman in a mechanics workshop, tasked with general maintenance. Later, he and others were forced to produce the mines laid around the camp's outer fence.[3] His job gave him wide access, except for Camp III, the area of gassing and burning of victims.[5][6]
Revoltedit
16-year-old Szmajzner learned about the mass killings at Sobibór through messages from a friend forced to work at the gas chambers, secretly delivered by a Volksdeutsche guard.[3][7] He then joined the camp's underground committee of Polish Jews around Leon Feldhendler that planned an escape. He later took part in the camp-wide uprising on 14 October 1943 led by Soviet POWAlexander Pechersky, after over 17 months at Sobibór. In the advent of the revolt, he was part of a group of four prisoners that killed the camp's Chief Kapo to prevent denunciation.[3] For armament, the team at his workshop stole and hid several carpentry axes that had been sent for sharpening. Szmajzner also stole three rifles from the armory after convincing the watchman on guard that he was on a repair mission. He handed two rifles to Soviet POWs and insisted on keeping the third.[6][8][9] In the turmoil of the escape, Szmajzner shot a tower guard.[4][3]
Escapeedit
Szmajzner belonged to the roughly 200 prisoners, of about 600,[10] who managed to escape from the camp into the nearby woods. He was part of Pechersky's group, consisting of 57 persons. To avoid discovery, the escapees split into smaller groups. Pechersky and seven other Russian POWs left to purchase food and make contact with partisans, with the remaining persons waiting for their return. After Pechersky did not return, they split into smaller groups and sought separate ways.[11] Of Szmajzner's group of 15 or 16 survivors, 12 or 13 were later shot in a confrontation with Polish nationalists. He survived by dropping to the ground and playing dead.[7][12]
After World War IIedit
In 1947, Szmajzner emigrated to Brazil, where in 1967 he recognized Franz Stangl.[7][13] In May 1978, he also confirmed the identity of Gustav Wagner in a São Paulo police station.[14][15] He visited West Germany a number of times to testify in trials, including against Stangl. Szmajzner wrote a book about his experiences as an adolescent in the death camp, which was published in 1968 in Brazil.[3] Along with fellow survivors Thomas Blatt and Esther Terner Raab, he also contributed to the screenplay of the 1987 film Escape from Sobibor.
Worksedit
Hell in Sobibor: the tragedy of a teenager Jews, "Inferno em Sobibor: A tragédia de um adolescente judeu". Bloch Editores. 1968 – via Holocaust Research Project, extracts translated to English.
^ abcdefghSzmajzner, Stanislaw (1968). Inferno em Sobibor: A tragédia de um adolescente judeu. Bloch Editores – via Holocaust Research Project, extracts translated to English.
^Philip "Fiszel" Bialowitz with Joseph Bialowitz (2010). A Promise at Sobibór: A Jewish Boy's Story of Revolt and Survival in Nazi-Occupied Poland. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 174. ISBN9780299248031.
Stanislaw Szmajzner interview, recorded on video by Jules Schelvis and Dunya Breur in Hagen, Germany (1983)
January 01, 1970
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Stanislaw Szlomo Szmajzner 13 March 1927 in Pulawy Poland 3 March 1989 in Goiania Brazil 1 was one of 58 known survivors of the Sobibor extermination camp in German occupied Poland and participated in the 1943 camp wide revolt and escape from Sobibor Stanislaw Szmajzner as partisan shortly after his escape from Sobibor Contents 1 Internment 1 1 Occupations 1 2 Revolt 1 3 Escape 2 After World War II 3 Works 4 References 5 External linksInternment editSzmajzner arrived at Sobibor extermination camp on 12 May 1942 in a transport of about 2 000 Jews from the Eastern Poland Ghetto of Opole Lubelskie together with his parents a sister brother cousin and nephew 2 3 Occupations edit On arrival he was not murdered in the gas chambers because he proved to be a goldsmith having carried along his bag of tools 2 4 He also managed to protect his brother cousin and nephew insisting he needed their assistance 3 Given a makeshift goldsmith workshop he was tasked by camp deputy commander Gustav Wagner to create golden accessories for the members of the SS at Sobibor using stolen coins jewelry or dental gold of murder victims Orders included rings displaying SS runes and an ornamental knob for the whip used by Kurt Bolender in beating the prisoners 2 3 Under Franz Stangl s command of the camp Szmajzner was made foreman in a mechanics workshop tasked with general maintenance Later he and others were forced to produce the mines laid around the camp s outer fence 3 His job gave him wide access except for Camp III the area of gassing and burning of victims 5 6 Revolt edit 16 year old Szmajzner learned about the mass killings at Sobibor through messages from a friend forced to work at the gas chambers secretly delivered by a Volksdeutsche guard 3 7 He then joined the camp s underground committee of Polish Jews around Leon Feldhendler that planned an escape He later took part in the camp wide uprising on 14 October 1943 led by Soviet POW Alexander Pechersky after over 17 months at Sobibor In the advent of the revolt he was part of a group of four prisoners that killed the camp s Chief Kapo to prevent denunciation 3 For armament the team at his workshop stole and hid several carpentry axes that had been sent for sharpening Szmajzner also stole three rifles from the armory after convincing the watchman on guard that he was on a repair mission He handed two rifles to Soviet POWs and insisted on keeping the third 6 8 9 In the turmoil of the escape Szmajzner shot a tower guard 4 3 Escape edit Szmajzner belonged to the roughly 200 prisoners of about 600 10 who managed to escape from the camp into the nearby woods He was part of Pechersky s group consisting of 57 persons To avoid discovery the escapees split into smaller groups Pechersky and seven other Russian POWs left to purchase food and make contact with partisans with the remaining persons waiting for their return After Pechersky did not return they split into smaller groups and sought separate ways 11 Of Szmajzner s group of 15 or 16 survivors 12 or 13 were later shot in a confrontation with Polish nationalists He survived by dropping to the ground and playing dead 7 12 After World War II editIn 1947 Szmajzner emigrated to Brazil where in 1967 he recognized Franz Stangl 7 13 In May 1978 he also confirmed the identity of Gustav Wagner in a Sao Paulo police station 14 15 He visited West Germany a number of times to testify in trials including against Stangl Szmajzner wrote a book about his experiences as an adolescent in the death camp which was published in 1968 in Brazil 3 Along with fellow survivors Thomas Blatt and Esther Terner Raab he also contributed to the screenplay of the 1987 film Escape from Sobibor Works editHell in Sobibor the tragedy of a teenager Jews Inferno em Sobibor A tragedia de um adolescente judeu Bloch Editores 1968 via Holocaust Research Project extracts translated to English References edit Schelvis Jules 2007 Sobibor A history of a nazi death camp Berg Bloomsbury p 239 ISBN 9781472589064 a b c Schelvis Jules 2007 Sobibor A history of a nazi death camp Berg Bloomsbury p 85 ISBN 9781472589064 a b c d e f g h Szmajzner Stanislaw 1968 Inferno em Sobibor A tragedia de um adolescente judeu Bloch Editores via Holocaust Research Project extracts translated to English a b Blatt Thomas Toivi 1997 From the Ashes of Sobibor A Story of Survival Northwestern University Press p 153 ISBN 9780810113022 Schelvis Jules 2007 Sobibor A history of a nazi death camp Berg Bloomsbury p 155 ISBN 9781472589064 a b Jules Schelvis amp Dunya Breur Stanislaw Szmajzner sobiborinterviews nl NIOD Institute for War Holocaust and Genocide Studies a b c Jules Schelvis amp Dunya Breur Interview with Stanislaw Szmajzner German 1983 Hagen sobiborinterviews nl NIOD Institute for War Holocaust and Genocide Studies Schelvis Jules 2007 Sobibor A history of a nazi death camp Berg Bloomsbury p 159f ISBN 9781472589064 Blatt Thomas Toivi 1997 From the Ashes of Sobibor A Story of Survival Northwestern University Press p 150 ISBN 9780810113022 Jules Schelvis 2003 Vernichtungslager Sobibor UNRAST Verlag Hamburg Munster p 196ff Jules Schelvis 2003 Vernichtungslager Sobibor UNRAST Verlag Hamburg Munster p 212ff Schelvis Jules 2007 Sobibor A history of a nazi death camp Berg Bloomsbury p 181 ISBN 9781472589064 Jules Schelvis amp Dunya Breur Biographies of SS men sobiborinterviews nl NIOD Institute for War Holocaust and Genocide Studies Philip Fiszel Bialowitz with Joseph Bialowitz 2010 A Promise at Sobibor A Jewish Boy s Story of Revolt and Survival in Nazi Occupied Poland University of Wisconsin Press p 174 ISBN 9780299248031 Blatt Thomas Toivi 1998 Sobibor The forgotten revolt A survivor s report H E P p 98 ISBN 9781472589064 External links editStanislaw Szmajzner interview recorded on video by Jules Schelvis and Dunya Breur in Hagen Germany 1983 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stanislaw Szmajzner amp oldid 1121148929, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
